Old Fashioned Love

It is going to be beautiful out today, already the sunshine is out “saying hello to us,” as Maddix likes to say! My pretty friend Liz is coming for a visit today and we are going for a picnic, I can hardly wait!

After pancakes and eggs this morning I read, ” The story of Jesus” to Maddix and Sophie. It made me think about how much Jesus loves his little babies. Man oh man, He has the most special place in His heart for them. Shortly after story time Maddix said to me, “I love Jesus, I blow Him kisses and give Him hugs.” I am sure when Jesus heard that His heart burst, I know mine sure did!

Oh my, where do I begin? Yesterday afternoon Maddix fell and scraped her knee. This was a minor scrape, I am confident that after 20 min. the pain went away…it may be a little sore but nothing too serious. Since this HORRIFIC event, Maddix has been walking like a 95 year old woman, bent over holding her knee…she cries, moans…this is like nails to a chalkboard to my ears. Like a good mom would, I have checked her knee several times and my assumptions were right…her knee is okay. After countless hours of milking this she now has to stay in her bed until her knee stops hurting. I feel like I am going to loose my mind. Someone out there, pray for me…and for Maddix’s knee…for the sake of my sanity. I want to rip my ears off! :)

Dear God, you must have the best sence of humor. I can’t help but think of how much you must feel like I do when your children fuss and make a big deal of things that aren’t worth fussing about. Help me to be a good example today.

This morning while trying to take 4 girls under the age of 4 for a walk, my neighboor said to me, “these are the times when your true character shows,”… I chucked and said, “you bet!” how true!

I have been soaking these verses up from Proverbs all morning

…”Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her happy; her husband too, and he praises her: “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her a share in the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the city gates.” - Proverbs 25-31

…a lot to chew on, wowey. Lord, today clothe me in strength and dignity. Help me to laugh in the midst of those times when I want to loose my mind over toddlers pulling each others hair and having to say, ” share girls,” for the 30th time! Help me to be wise and show kindness every time I speak today. Help me to exude your love, so much so, that when others think of me they will call me, “happy.”

Blessed is Your name. You are the most High. You are my Lord. You are the keeper of my heart.

My birthday trip away was everything I needed and nothing I anticipated! I am home with a pocketful of cash and a much better attitude. I fully expected to spend all my birthday money on handmade clothes, jewelry, stationary, and pottery…and instead I come home with several lessons learned and more joy in my heart that I could have ever imagined. Liz and I were challenged with many things that could have ruined our weekend…an unfinished suite, horrible traffic, bad food take out service, no sense of direction which got us lost, and wayyyy too much rain…buckets and inches of rain. Though, threw it all though, instead of getting angry and discouraged, which for us is typical, we just laughed through it all. I can’t begin to tell you how big of a deal this is for me. I can’t think of a better gift for my birthday, with God’s grace and leading…I showed myself that I can be graceful and kind in every situation. I did it, and thats who I am. Underneath it all, in my heart…I am full of love and grace…God just needed to bring it out in it’s fullness and show me I have the ability to be exactly who God wants me to be.

I can laugh. I can be encouraging. I can uplift. I can pray. I can seek and find. I can be myself. I can give God’s love. I can accept God’s love.

I accept His love. Something a pocketful of money can’t buy.